Three weeks into the monsoon, 72% meteorological divisions have had normal and above normal rainfall
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In the first three weeks of the monsoon (June 2-16, 2021), nearly three-fourths of the country’s 36 meteorological divisions have received normal and above normal rainfall, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).
IMD measures monsoon performance in five categories:
Large excess - when the rainfall is above 60 per cent of normal
Excess - when it is 20-59 per cent above normal
Normal - when the rainfall is within -19 and + 19 per cent of normal
Deficit - for -20 to -59 per cent
Large deficit - for 60 per cent below normal
Read Down to Earth’s MONSOON 2021 coverage
In the week ending June 16, 26 divisions reported normal, excess and above excess rainfall. Of these 14 divisionsm, including West Bengal Gangetic; Jharkhand; Bihar; Eastern and Western Uttar Pradesh, had large excess rainfall. Seven divisions, including Odisha; Himachal Pradesh; West Rajasthan and Marathwada, experienced excess rainfall. Only five divisions, including Madhya Maharashtra; Southern Inner Karnataka and Kerala, had normal rains.
All the eight northeastern states have received deficit rainfall, with Arunachal Pradesh reporting the large deficit — above 60 per cent. Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim experienced deficinecies between 20 and 59 per cent.
Lakshadweep, Gujarat, Saurashtra and Kutch have also received large deficit rainfall.
The Regional Meteorological Centre, Guwahati forecast for the week ending Jun 25:
Rainfall activity is likely to be NORMAL to ABOVE NORMAL over parts of East Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Northeast Assam and NORMAL to BELOW NORMAL over remaining parts of the region.
What's ahead
The IMD, meanwhile, forecast June 17 that most places in eastern, central and northeastern parts of the country would receive heavy rains along with thunderstorms in the next four-five days.
The East has already faced heavy rainfall June 16-17, resulting in waterlogging in most parts in Kolkata, the most populated urban agglomeration in the region. Thunderstrikes have also been increasingly common, driving concern in administrative quarters.
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